This series continues to work through Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley’s recent, mammoth undertaking to produce a four-volume presentation of the system of Reformed theology. As before, each post looks at a particular section (or sections) within this project, rather than attempting to review a whole volume at a time, which would inevitably result in […]
Monday, 02 May, 2022 by Harrison Perkins
Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley have undertaken to produce a four-volume (probably nearing ten thousand pages in all) systematic theology that introduces the major topics of Christian theology in a biblically grounded, historically informed, and practically oriented way. This review series looks at these volumes one section at a time, reflecting on how this project […]
Monday, 07 February, 2022 by Harrison Perkins
As noted in part 1 of this series, recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in systematic theology. Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley’s projected four-volume Reformed Systematic Theology is a solid example of an expanding renewal of research and publication concerning properly categorical theology. This post explores Beeke and Smalley’s section on theology proper. […]
Wednesday, 03 November, 2021 by Harrison Perkins
Recent years have seen a veritable explosion of publications in systematic theology with a renewed interest in historically grounded and hermeneutically attuned dogmatic exploration. One major contribution in that ongoing program is Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley’s projected four-volume Reformed Systematic Theology. Each volume aims to address two loci of systematic theology with the two […]
Friday, 06 August, 2021 by Harrison Perkins
Christians know that we are supposed to be both praying people and imitators of Christ. Do we often think about what Jesus’ prayer life teaches us about ours, though? This post looks at Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, as recorded in Mark 14:22–42, to see what the Son’s prayer there might teach us […]
Wednesday, 19 May, 2021 by Harrison Perkins
For a long time, it was assumed that Reformed churches would hold a service both on Sunday morning and Sunday evening. Although still practiced in many congregations, this pattern is no longer necessarily the expectation or assumption concerning how the Lord’s Day will be observed. If we believe in Reformed principles, however, we must consider […]
Wednesday, 17 February, 2021 by Harrison Perkins
The Bible has a lot to say about the covenants – the formal and binding relationships – that God makes with his people. At each major stage in the development of redemptive-history, God facilitates his relationship with his people by using a covenant. It is, therefore, of premier importance that we would pay close attention to […]
Tuesday, 08 December, 2020 by Harrison Perkins
There are countless passages that exhort believers about the seriousness of their walk of holiness before God. Scripture strongly affirms that we should flee from sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:18), flee from idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14), flee love of money (1 Tim. 6:11), flee youthful passions (2 Tim. 2:22), and resist the devil (Jam. 4:7). […]
Monday, 16 November, 2020 by Harrison Perkins
Last month, in my post about virtue ethics, I questioned whether the notion of rewards that will be distributed at the final judgment was necessary in order to emphasize the importance of Christian obedience. Instead, I suggested that our existence as God’s image bearers entails that we were made to reflect God’s goodness and indeed […]
Friday, 16 October, 2020 by Harrison Perkins
Christians agree that our growth in godliness is important, but not everyone agrees about why that is true or what is at stake. In recent years, discussions within the Reformed community about the role of our good works in relation to the final judgment have been prominent, some suggesting that our works play a role […]
Tuesday, 08 September, 2020 by Harrison Perkins
Reformed theology in recent years has seen a resurgence of interest in covenant theology, which has come with a new wave of books about the biblical covenants. Richard Belcher has just released another contribution to the growing body of literature on covenant theology with The Fulfillment of the Promises of God: An Explanation of Covenant […]
Tuesday, 11 August, 2020 by Harrison Perkins
It is usually cliché to open essays with a statement of a universal truth, but it is true that Christ’s death on the cross is at the center of Christianity. Paul described his preaching ministry by focusing on the cross: “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians […]
Tuesday, 07 July, 2020 by Harrison Perkins